of his Favour, Uſeall your intereſt and importunity with him on
my behalf, | FP 9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved 3. * <.1.3. & © thou faireſt among women &? Whar is thy beloved more than ezother beloved,that thou doſtſocharge us ?
; Wherein doth he excel them ? Which Profeſſors of Religion might ask, becauſe they were ignorant of Chriſts Excellency, and
} Heb. what.
true Believers might ask it,thatthey might be more fully - informed :
of it,and might give the Spouſe occaſion to diſcourſe of that ſubje& which was very grateful to them. k& Whoſe Beauty may command the ReſpeQts and AffeQions of the moſt worthy perſons; and there- fore we conclude it muſt be ſome perſon of tranſcendant excellency with whom thou art ſo highly enamoured. 10 My beloved zs white and ruddy /, + the chiefeſt þ.wdard. 99 among ten thouſand », bearer, Or, 1! Which two colours rightly mixed together,make a Face beauti- taller than fu!- Octhe white may note his, pure and ſpotleſs Innocency, and the tm they= brightneſs of his Glory and Majeſty,and the rudy colour may inti- ſand, «nate his Bloody paſſion,which made him amiable both ro God and Men. great Eminency,both for Stature,and Courage,and Dignity.» Among all perſons, Angels or Men. A certain number is put for an uncertain There are other Kings,and Prieſts and Prophets;but none to be com- paced with hiriie 11 His head zs as the moſt fine gold s, Or curled. are || buſhy, and black as a raven 4. cos 0 l e's like Gold, not in reſpe& of the Hair which is black, as it followeth, bur by reaſon of his Crown of pure Gold upon his Head. Rev,14» 14. Whereby ſhe implyesthat her Bridegroom was a King, which ſhe declared above, ch. 3. 11. p In which a part of Mans Beauty confiſts. I ſhal not trouble my Reader with a diſtin& application of this and the following particulars, unto ſome ſpecial partor excellency of Chriſt,becauſe ſuch things are meer conje&ures without any ſolid grounds, and the only deſign of this deſcription .eems to be this, to ſet ſorth the Beauty of Chriſt under the notion of a rnoſt compleat and amiable perſon,in whom there is no defe& nor blemiſh, from the crown of his Head to the ſole of his Feer. g Which is mentioned, partly becauſe this was eſteemed a beauty, and partly becauſe it was an evidence ofhis Youth and vigor,as gray "Oh.rts hairsare chara&ers of age and infirmity, Hoſ. 7. 9. | — 3- 12 * Hiseyes are as the eyes of doves r by the rivers f Heb. {z. Of waters s, waſbed with milk 7, and Þ fitly ſer x. ting in fuls rLovely and pleaſant,chaſte and innocent. s Where they delight ner that is to abide,and wherewith they bath themſelves,and waſh their Eyes ; fitiy placed where alſo their Eyes are moſt lively and beautiful, both by the re- and ſet as fle&tion of the waters, & from that pleaſure whichthey take in ſuch @ preccous places. # Which may belong either 1- To the Eyes,which are ſup= fe in the poſed to be waſhed with water,as white and pure as Milk. Or 2, foilof a Tothe Doves; which are intimated to be of a milk white coleur, Ring, which in thoſe parts was moſt eſteemed. which colour alſo made the Eyes appear more lovely, u Neither finking into the Head, nor ſtanding out too much, but in a moderate and comely ſituation. Heb. fitring in fulnels : which may note a full and competently large Eyc, which is eſteemed one beauty of che Eye.
tH:b. #
his locks p
1m Heb. the ſtandard bearer ; for ſuch are uſually perſons of.
7C BE Chip. Vil
13 Hischeeks x are as a bed y of ſpices z, as || ſweet | is flowers a: his lips /ikelilies 'b, dropping ſweet ſmelling 21%") myrrhe c. | ' | x Nis Face or Countenance, an eminent part whereof is the Cheeks, in which the Beauty or Deformity of a Face doth much 1 conſiſt, y Which being higher than other parts of the Garden ficly " repreſents the Checks, which are higher than other parts of the Face. I: | 2 Not of dry ſpices,for they are not in Beds, but of Aromatical Flowers which delight both the Eye with « pleaſant proſpe&, & the [mel] with their fragrancy. This may alſo fignifie the down or hair upon the Bridegrooms cheeks, which is the evidence of his mature and vigorous Age, and may denote thar Chriſts ſweetneſs and gentleneſsis accompanied with Majeſty, and Gravity,and juſt ſeve- rity. & This may be added to explain the former Phraſe. Or, towers of perfumes, i.e. Boxes in which perfumes were put, which by their height or form, had ſome reſemblance to a Turret. 6 Beautiful and pleaſant. Or this is meant of that ſort of Lilies which were of a red or purple colour,as ancient Writers affirm, and fo ſignifie the grateful colour of the Lips. This may note that Grace which was pouredintoChriſts Lips,& which flowed from them in ſweer and ex« cellent diſcourſes. c Nct only graceful to the Eye,as Lilies are,bur allo fragrant to the ſmell. 14 His hands d are as gold-rings ſet with the beryll es his belly f 3s as bright Ivory overlaid with Sa- phires g+
4 The inſtruments of Aion 2nd ofDiftribution;which may de- ſign the ations of Chriſt,and particularly his diſtributing Gifts and Graces to his Members. e Beauriful,and precious,and richly adorned as it Were with Gold Rings ſet with precious ſtones f Which ſeems to be here uſed, either 1. Metonimically,for the Bewels which are contained in the Belly:Or rather 2. Synecdochically, for the whole Body,reaching from the neck to the bottom of the Belly, whichis diſtinguiſhed from the Face, and the joints, which are deſcribed in the other clauſes.For he ſpeaks here of thoſe parts which are viſible to the Eye* Andthus here js acompleat deſcription of Chriſts beau- ty 1n all parts from his Head to his Feet,g Ofa pure and bright white colour, TOI with blue veias; for ſome Saphires are of a bright
ue colour.
I5 His legs þ are as pillars of marble ;, ſet upon
lockets of fine gold & : his countenance 1 is as Lebanon 2, excellent as the cedars.